Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Upington Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Upington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,191 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,034 in Upington, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,856 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,602 in Upington, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,522 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,170 in Upington, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 15% more than Upington, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Tbilisi and Upington are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 11% lower, Upington 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.57

$11.00 R 183

-0.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$33.12 R 552

30.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.32

$4.99 R 83.2

70.94%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.82

$1.54 R 25.70

94.16%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₾2.12

$1.00 R 16.63

-19.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.68 R 11.28

-38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.66

$1.55 R 25.79

39.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.53

$2.50 R 41.59

15.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$0.82 R 13.66

136.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$1.13 R 18.90

-39.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$1.57 R 26.10

17.83%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.63

$2.45 R 40.82

3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.70

$7.86 R 131

-4.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.40

$4.51 R 75.2

38.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.10

$6.70 R 112

43.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$1.59 R 26.52

-27.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.52 R 25.24

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$1.47 R 24.52

27.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.57 R 26.09

42.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.38 R 22.93

-49.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.24 R 20.70

-48.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.10

$1.06 R 17.65

11.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.92 R 15.25

-23.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.79

$2.51 R 41.76

18.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.46

$3.83 R 63.8

93.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$1.38 R 23.00

11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$1.67 R 27.74

36.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$1.62 R 27.01

-77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$1.10 R 18.30

29.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.94 R 15.62

-26.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$4.07 R 67.7

78.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.28 R 21.35

-14.84%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.3K ₾48.0K

$21.5K R 358.9K

-14.96%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$23.9K R 397.4K

-14.14%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$74.4 ₾195

$120 R 2,000

-38.08%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.71 ₾30.65

$34.82 R 580

-66.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.08

$41.21 R 686

-57.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$30.52 R 508

97.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$6.53 R 109

-0.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$269 ₾704

$196 R 3,269

37.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$4,377 R 72.9K

17.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$50.5 R 840

52.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$31.78 R 529

36.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$87.3 R 1,453

35.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$80.6 R 1,342

39.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,857

$363 R 6,047

95.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,216

$334 R 5,557

39.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,444

$564 R 9,394

133.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$703 R 11.7K

9.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,525

$878 R 14.6K

183.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,775

$709 R 11.8K

103.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

$770 R 12.8K

-13.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

11.38

4.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tbilisi: July 25, 2026

Last update for Upington: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $709 in Tbilisi versus $363 in Upington. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Upington, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $33.00 in Upington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $172 – making Upington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tbilisi vs Upington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,191 in Tbilisi, $1,034 in Upington – roughly 15% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,787 per month in Tbilisi and $1,551 in Upington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Upington, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi and $33.00 in Upington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Upington, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Tbilisi at $1,191. In Upington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,034 in Upington to $1,191 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Upington. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.